


The Leap

by Krashlyn



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-22
Updated: 2014-08-22
Packaged: 2018-02-14 06:29:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2181456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krashlyn/pseuds/Krashlyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a little something...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Leap

Ashlyn couldn't sleep. She rolled over a thousand times. Flipped her pillow a hundred times. Even tried counting sheep. Nothing was working.

"Babes, relax." Ali mumbled but immediately drifted back to sleep.

"Easy for you to say." Ashlyn said under her breath.

She tried for another few minutes before finally giving up. She took her pillow to the guest room and flopped on the bed. She turned on the TV and watched endless amounts of re-runs before she was able to doze off.

...

Ashlyn woke a couple hours later. TV still on and her body sore from lack of rest. She groaned and stretched and then remembered why she was so antsy the night before.

The line-up comes out today.

And not just any line-up. The World Cup line-up.

...

She brought her pillow back to their room and gently placed it next to Ali. Making sure not to wake her. She then hurried to the kitchen and turned on the coffee maker before going to her laptop.

She let it start-up for a minute and paced back and forth at the island. Her hands were shaking. She had never been so nervous before in her life.

 _It all comes down to this. Everything has been for this._ She told herself over and over again.

She finally sat down. Scrolling to find an email from US Soccer. _No... No... N- oh my god... there it is._ Her eyes rested on the subject for what seemed like an eternity before she dared to open it.

"USWNT Final 2015 Roster."

She slowly scrolled down the names. By position, of course the keepers were last. Defenders, Midfielders, Forwards, Keepers. Her brain registered Ali's name but there was never any doubt in her mind Ali would be on that list. She is the best defender in the whole world. Or so Ashlyn thinks.

**KEEPERS  
** Nicole Barnhart  
Ashlyn Harris  
Hope Solo 

Ashlyn stares at the screen for a long time. She doesn't react. She doesn't smile. She just stares. For a while.

And then she cries.

Its an all out I-fucking-did-it cry. And she wants to call her family. Mom, Chris, Grandma, Dad. But she knows she needs to soak it in first.

She eventually composes herself enough and re-reads the list. Over and over. And she's so proud of herself in this moment.

She can't help but jump up in the air and pump her fist before dropping to her knees with her hands over her face (she likes to think that would be her celebration if she played forward and scored a winning goal).

She revels in the glory for a moment.

...

Ashlyn is pouring her coffee when she thinks of a plan.

She knows Ali doesn't check the line-up first thing. She does the same thing every time. She likes to have her coffee and breakfast, then move to the couch, and **then** check.

So Ashlyn is going to act like she didn't make the roster and when Ali comes to comfort her she is going to crush Ali in a hug and tell her the good news. Not a nice joke but she was going to take advantage of this while she could.

...

A few minutes later, Ashlyn was preparing to make an omelette when she heard a muffled scream from the bedroom. She immediately dropped everything and moved to check what was wrong.

But Ali was already on her way down the hall. Ashlyn knew because she could hear her... running.

"Ali?!" She yells before Ali comes sliding around the corner and then sprinting to Ashlyn at full speed.

Before Ashlyn can even process it, Ali is leaping into her arms. She braces herself as Ali hits her full force.

"Ash!" She cries into her as Ashlyn grips her tight, still unsure what was going on.

"Ali, what is it?! What's wrong?" Ashlyn is so confused and worried. She keeps Ali close and looks around. Her hand around the back of Ali's head, protecting her.

"You did it." Ali mumbled happily.

"W- what...?" Ashlyn was not expecting that.

"I'm so proud of you." Ali squeezed tightly and Ashlyn could feel a tear drop on her shoulder. "You did it." Ali repeated proudly.

"Oh. You checked the roster?" Ashlyn asked shyly.

Ali leaned back in her arms so she could face her. She wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded up-and-down.

"First thing." She sniffled and tucked a strand of hair behind Ashlyn's ear before letting her hand rest on her cheek. She looked Ashlyn in the eye and they didn't need to say anything in that moment. They knew.

Ashlyn smiled and Ali could see it in her eyes. She broke into a huge smile too, tears still lingering, threatening to drop.

"We're going to the World Cup." Ashlyn confirmed. "Both of us."

"I know." Ali clenched an excited smile and wiggled for Ashlyn to let her down. But when her feet hit the floor she didn't let go of her girlfriend. She only brought her closer and hugged tighter.

"You screamed. I thought something was wrong." Ashlyn pointed out.

"Sorry." Ali giggled. "Way too excited." She kissed her cheek a couple times and finally let go. "And don't try to act all calm. I know you did your goal celebration." Ali teasingly raised an eyebrow.

"I might have." Ashlyn said cool-ly.

Ali broke into a smile. "Ooo! Do it again!" She was eager to see this.

"The moment's gone, sleeping beauty." Ashlyn teased and Ali playfully smacked her stomach.

"Come onnn!" Ali whined.

"I can't fabricate the reaction, babe. You'll just have to wait til I score a goal." Ashlyn laughed at the near-impossible probability of scoring as a keeper.

She moved to the kitchen and opened the fridge to get started on breakfast.

"Actually..." Ali grabbed her hand and closed the fridge. "I want to take you out to brunch. To celebrate." Ali pulled her away from the kitchen. 

"Really?" Ashlyn's eyes lit up.

"Is that okay?" Ali asked with a chuckle.

Ashlyn laughed. Ali sure was laying the love on thick but she always made Ashlyn feel like a million dollars anyway. So Ashlyn did the only thing she could think to do...

She jumped up in the air and pumped her fist before dropping to her knees with her hands over her face. "Brunchhh!" She pretended to sob and Ali got a good laugh out of it.

"You're something else, you know that?" Ali leaned down and kissed the top of her head and Ashlyn took that chance to pull her closer.

She wrapped her arms around the back of Ali's knees and rested her head on Ali's stomach.

Ali held her close by the back of her neck. They just stayed there like that for a few minutes.

Ashlyn processed the info and Ali kept her close, admiring all her hard work and dedication. Everything that brought her to this moment. Because it helped bring Ali to this moment too- she's not sure where she would be without Ashlyn by her side every step of the way.

Ashlyn finally stood up and kissed Ali softly on the lips. "Sorry, just needed a moment." She explained but there was no need- Ali knew.

Ali nudged her. "Go get ready. I'm taking you to Le Diplomate for brunch." Ali said and Ashlyn froze.

"Al, you have to make a reservation _at least_ week in advance for that place. We'll never get a table." Ashlyn wished it was possible- their brunch was supposed to be amazing.

"I did." Ali said plainly.

"Did what?" Ashlyn scrunched her eyes.

"I made a reservation... last week." She watched Ashlyn carefully.

"You... what?" Ashlyn asked softly.

"Yea. When Jill told us the roster would be released on the 14th- I made a reservation so we could celebrate." Ali said it like it wasn't a big deal. Like it wasn't the sweetest gesture Ashlyn had ever received.

Ashlyn just looked at her with shining eyes. Her heart swelling by the second. She didn't know what to say.

"I knew you were going to make the roster... months ago. Years ago. This is where you belong, Ash." She said proudly.

This is one of the many reasons Ashlyn considers Ali the best thing that's ever happened to her. She never stopped believing. Ashlyn couldn't take it anymore. She pulled Ali into her arms and hugged her tightly.

"I love you, Alex." She whispered as she fought tears of her own now.

"I love you too, Ash." She hugged Ashlyn around the waist and breathed her in. _You're the best thing that's ever happened to me._


End file.
